Sora Statistics: OpenAI’s Video Model - Rise, Scale & Shutdown
OpenAI Sora: launched Dec 2024, Sora 2 with social feed Sep 2025, consumer app shut down April 26, 2026 after reported compute losses of ~$15M/day. The exit shifted share to Kling, Runway, and Google Veo.
Sora was OpenAI’s bet on consumer AI video - first as a generation tool, then as a TikTok-style social app built around Sora 2. Despite enormous attention, the consumer product never found sustainable economics: reporting around the April 2026 shutdown cited compute losses of roughly $15 million per day against minimal revenue. Sora’s exit is the defining consolidation event in AI video so far.
Key statistics
After a February 2024 research preview, Sora launched publicly for ChatGPT Plus/Pro subscribers in December 2024.
Sora 2 launched with hyperrealistic video, synchronized audio, and a social feed with “cameo” identity features, positioning OpenAI against TikTok-style platforms.
Reporting around the shutdown cited Sora losing approximately $15 million per day in compute costs while generating minimal revenue.
OpenAI shut down the Sora consumer web app on April 26, 2026, exiting consumer AI video and redirecting capacity to core models.
Kling AI hit 842,000+ daily App Store downloads within two weeks of Sora’s shutdown, absorbing much of the displaced creator demand.
Sora’s timeline from research preview to shutdown
Sora’s full arc ran 26 months: research preview (February 2024), public launch (December 2024), the Sora 2 social pivot (September 2025), and consumer shutdown (April 26, 2026). Each phase changed who could use it and what it cost OpenAI to run.
| Phase | Date | Access | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research preview | Feb 2024 | Select researchers and artists | First photorealistic long-clip demos reset expectations |
| Public launch | Dec 2024 | ChatGPT Plus/Pro subscribers | Consumer video generation at subscription pricing |
| Sora 2 + social app | Sep 2025 | Invite-based social feed | TikTok-style feed, cameo identity features, synchronized audio |
| Consumer shutdown | Apr 26, 2026 | Discontinued | Reported ~$15M/day compute losses; capacity redirected |
Timeline from OpenAI announcements; shutdown economics from industry reporting compiled by AI Content Drop; post-shutdown market shifts from MWM app-tracking data and Sacra.
What did Sora’s exit mean for the AI video market?
Sora’s shutdown redistributed consumer demand almost overnight - primarily to Kling AI, Runway, and Google’s Veo - and validated the enterprise-first business models of the surviving platforms.
Kling AI reached an estimated $500 million annualized revenue by April–May 2026, up from $240M at the end of 2025, partly fueled by Sora’s exit.
Runway raised a $315M Series E at a $5.3 billion valuation in February 2026 - investors backing the enterprise/creative-pro path Sora abandoned.
Total AI video generation revenue across all platforms reached an estimated $1.1 billion in 2025 - a market Sora dominated in attention but not in monetization.
How we compiled this data
Sora is the hardest page on this site to source because OpenAI published almost no usage metrics. We restricted claims to dated events (launches, the shutdown) and clearly labeled the $15M/day loss figure as reported rather than confirmed. The market-shift numbers (Kling downloads, Runway valuation) come from independent trackers, not OpenAI. Last full review: June 12, 2026.
Before you cite these numbers
- The ~$15M/day loss figure comes from industry reporting around the shutdown, not OpenAI disclosure. Treat it as a reported estimate with unknown methodology.
- OpenAI never published Sora user counts or video volumes, so any "Sora generated X videos" claim you see elsewhere lacks a primary source.
- Sora the model is not dead: video capabilities continue via OpenAI’s API. The April 2026 shutdown applies to the consumer social app specifically.
- Attribution of Kling’s May 2026 download spike to Sora’s exit is correlational; the viral "Korean Baseball" trend contributed in the same window.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sora shut down?
OpenAI shut down the Sora consumer web app on April 26, 2026. Video generation capabilities continue inside OpenAI’s API and product line, but the standalone consumer social app was discontinued.
Why did OpenAI shut down Sora?
Industry reporting cited unsustainable economics - roughly $15 million per day in compute costs against minimal revenue. Consumer AI video proved far more expensive to serve than text or images.
Who benefited from Sora’s shutdown?
Kling AI (842K+ daily downloads in May 2026 and ~$500M ARR), Runway ($5.3B valuation), and Google’s Veo absorbed most of the displaced demand.
Sources
Figures on this page are compiled from the following publishers and reports. Where sources disagree, we present the range and note the methodology difference.